Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A newly emerged COVID-19 variant, XFG, has become the dominant strain in state, accounting for 63.6% of all sequenced cases, according to a genomic analysis by the Regional Virology Laboratory at AIIMS Bhopal.
XFG was detected in 28 out of 44 samples collected between the last week of May and third week of June 2025. It has evolved from the previously circulating LF.7 variant, which was dominant in the last week of May, but declined and completely disappeared by mid-June.
The sequencing revealed a new sub-variant, XFG.3, present in 5 of the 28 XFG-positive samples. These findings were made public on Monday. The 44 samples were sourced from various districts: Bhopal (14), Gwalior(22), Tikamgarh (2) and one sample each from Indore, Khargone, Chhindwara, Lalitpur, Sidhi and Gaya.
Although XFG and LF.7 have mutations that allow infection even in vaccinated people, all infections so far have been mild or asymptomatic. As a result, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not classified them as “Variants of Concern” or “Variants Under Monitoring.”
Notably, the NB.1 (Nimbus variant)—recently designated a “Variant Under Monitoring” by WHO—was not detected in any of the samples analysed by AIIMS Bhopal. AIIMS Director Prof (Dr) Ajai Singh said,“Early detection of variants like XFG and its sub-lineages helps us understand the virus’s behaviour and take timely precautionary public health measures.
AIIMS Bhopal strongly emphasises that routine and continuous genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 should be treated as a priority public health activity in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring regions.”
